Dateline BeaufortA newsletter of the Beaufort Branch of theAmerican Association of University Woman

October 2015Volume 21

No. 1

www.AAUW-SC.org

A Message From the President. . . Dr. Rebecca R. Cooper, Ed.D. As members of the AAUW Beaufort Branch of SC start a new year under different leadership, may we commit ourselves to the ideals of friendship and sisterhood upon which our foundation of service is built. My heartfelt thanks and appreciation are extended to our dynamic and tenacious outgoing president, Dr. Diana F.

Steele, for the work she has done over the past four years to ensure AAUW’s solid footing in the landscape of the Beaufort culture and community. Additionally, I am sincerely grateful for all of the help and support she continues to offer me during the transition of leadership. Because of the wealth of experience, knowledge, and talent of the ladies who are members of our branch, we will continue to make greater strives toward our goal of attracting a cadre of likeminded individuals who are ready, willing, and able to make a difference in our community “to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research.”Hats off to Debra Ahlers, for introducing the membership to The Movie Club, which has increased our opportunity for fellowship. A special thank you to Etta Mann, who has agreed to continue to coordinate our “50/50” fundraiser. This Legal Advocacy activity has been a really fun way to boost our resources to help women with issues of sex discrimination in education and the workplace. I am delighted to share the good news that Peggy Fryer, a former president of our Beaufort Branch, has graciously agreed to provide a monthly inspirational at each meeting. Also, as you are already aware, Lynn Lantz is taking on the role of coordinator of our meetings as the phone and email messenger. Lynn will work with Debbi Covington, to ensure that everyone attending will have a delicious meal.Many of our hardworking board members have been at work during the summer months keeping this organization strong and relevant. We hope to make sure that our upcoming year will be both worthwhile for our members and support our mission. We are all very enthusiastic about launching a new and exciting 2015 - 2016 year with our Beaufort Branch. Only by working together as a team can we realize

Scheduled Programs 2015–16All of our scheduled meetings this year will be at the First Presbyterian Church at 1201 North Street in Beaufort, from 6:00—8:00 pm. Debbi Covington will again be providing delicious dinners for the still low price of $15.n October 27: Marilyn Harcharik,

President, Friends of the Beaufort County Public Library

What Is a Library Without “Friends?”

n November 17: Cora Newcomb, Storyteller

Thanksgiving Storytelling

n January 26: Brook Dixon, Golf Coach, Beaufort High School

The impact of Title IX in Beaufort County

n February 23: Julie Murphy, Ph.D, Counselor

Mental Health Services in Beaufort County

n March 22: Trudy Stevens, Charter Member and Organizer

Special People for Special Friends

n April 26: Wendy Nagy, Board Chair and CEO, Good Neighbor Free Medical Clinic of Beaufort

How are we addressing the Medicaid Gap?

n May 24 — Scholarship Presentations

Inside this newsletterBooks for Birthdays (page 2)Marietta Pulliam receives Tribute (page 2)Meet our New Members (page 3)Ways We Are Fullfilling Our Mission (page 3)Board of Directors (page 4)AAUW Membership Application (page 4)

Check out our website!Learn more about AAUW at

www.AAUW–SC.org

Join AAUW and help support our efforts! AAUW has been empowering women as individuals and as a community since 1881. For more than 130 years, we have worked together as a national grassroots organization to improve the lives of millions of women and their families.

Want to join us? Fill out the membership application on page 4 of this newsletter.

Questions on what we do? Call any of the names listed on page 4. We will be happy to talk to you!

our collective goals of service in this community! Again, thank you for your vote of confidence in my ability to lead our AAUW Beaufort Branch. I am dedicated to our continued success with your personal involvement and support.

Dateline Beaufort October 20152Books for Birthdays . . . Lynn LantzThe Beaufort Branch of the American Association of University Women has always firmly believed in the importance of providing equal education to all children in the United States. In 2007, the documentary Corridor of Shame: The Neglect of South Carolina Rural Schools shocked the nation by showing Jasper County schools along the I–95 corridor that were over 111 years old still being used with little updating. This documentary created a national outcry and Senator Barack Obama visited the schools during his campaign for President. The Branch showed the documentary to a packed auditorium at the Technical College of the Lowcountry and provided forums featuring Bud Ferillo, the producer and director of the documentary. After becoming aware of this tragedy our Branch decided to start the “Books for Birthdays” program in two school districts closest to Beaufort that had been highlighted in the documentary. We chose Hardeville and Ridgeland schools. Members of the Branch made monthly visits to the kindergarten classes in each of these districts, read to the children, and presented each child who had a birthday in that month with his/her very own book. We also provided cupcakes and juice boxes. During one visit when we read a book about pirates we gave a huge birthday party in the gymnasium. We dressed up as pirates. Students watched a video and played “Pin the Mustache on Captain Hook.” The Branch funded this program by individual contributions and a yearly AAUW Fashion Show held at Marine Corps Air Station. This Jasper County “Books for Birthdays” program lasted for four years.

The Branch then decided to put their efforts into schools closer to Beaufort. We worked with the School District and decided to focus on the Pre–K classes at Shanklin Elementary School, a school labeled as one with high–risk students. We formed a new volunteer group that went monthly (September through May) to Shanklin. Each month we read one of the delightful books to the children and then gave each student their very own copy to take home to “read” to their parents, siblings, and friends. We gave the children with birthdays in the month we visited another different second book — all wrapped up in fancy paper. We also continued with the cupcakes and juice boxes. At first all books were either donated by members or purchased from monetary donations. But in 2012, a Branch member put us in contact with First Book, a non–profit organization that connects book publishers and non–profit community organizations with access to new books for children in need. First Book provides outstanding books free of charge to needy students but the organization must pay the postage for each book. The postage started out at 25¢ per book but gradually increased to 65¢ per book.

This past year was our last year for the “Books for Birthdays” program. The volunteers each have special memories of the little children clutching their new book and giving the volunteer a giant hug. The school administrators and teachers told us they felt fortunate to have had such a special and worthwhile program for their students. Some of the volunteers over the years are still present members. They are Donna Barnes, Peggy Cass, Rebecca Cooper, Peggy Fryer, Roberta Gunderson, Lynn Lantz, Barbara Mattingly, Veronica Miller, and Diana Steele.

One Of Our Members Receives AAUW Funds Tribute For Longtime Service Marietta Pulliam, who taught for 30 years at Mossy Oaks Elementary in Beaufort, and later worked there as substitute and homebound teacher, joined the AAUW in 2002. She is an active participant in our local AAUW branch. She has volunteered for many attic sales and other fund–raisers, worked as a participant in the Sister–to– Sister Program — a project that mentored over 100 seventh grade girls from four Beaufort middle schools — and has been a regular attendee at our branch meetings.

Marietta further demonstrates her dedication to the AAUW by having remained our branch’s communications messenger for the past ten years. Though this responsibility is time–consuming, working either by email or telephone, Marietta lets us know the speaker and menu for our monthly dinner meetings and maintains a record of those attending.

She also finds time to serve the Beaufort community. She volunteers as a reading tutor at St. Helena Elementary (a program she discovered through one of our monthly dinner meetings) and is a docent at both St. Peter’s Chapel and Graveyard.

She graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, with a Bachelor of Arts and also holds two Masters of Arts degrees, one from the University of Northern Colorado and the other from the University of South Carolina. Marietta is a valued member of the Beaufort Branch of AAUW.

Diana Steele (on the left) presenting the

AAUW Funds Tribute for Longterm Service

to longtime member Marietta Pulliam.

Marietta joined the AAWU in 2002 and has

been very active with many of our programs.

Dateline BeaufortOctober 2015

Dateline Beaufort is a publication of the Beaufort Chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) and is a source of information to our membership.

Dateline Beaufort October 20153

Ways We Are Fulfilling Our Mission— ECO Camp. . . Veronica MillerEryka and Angie, both rising sixth graders from Port Royal Elementary School, attended Beaufort Conservation District’s 26th Eco Camp “Big Chills & Heat Waves” with forty other students, first through the sixth grades. They both attended every day and had a great time and learned a lot about science. Activities included hiking in the Port Royal wetlands, dissecting fish, and touching twin baby alligators and friendly snakes. They made anemometers, did weather activities with meteorologist John Wetherbee of WTOC News, and much more. SC Sea Grant brought their eBob weather buoy program to camp and campers learned about buoyancy, weather, and designing floatables. Campers worked in small groups to design their own weather buoys. On the last day campers launched their buoys and observed weather readings at Port Royal Sound Maritime Museum. They also toured the museum, took an interpretive marsh walk and had lunch sponsored by Beaufort County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. Ertka and Angie both sent handmade thank you cards with pictures to our AAUW branch.

Meet Our New Members!Carol Brown received a B.A. from Drew University and a Masters Degree in Library Science from Southern Connecticut State University. She retired from her last position as Programming and Communications Manager at New Haven Free Public Library just two weeks before moving with her husband, dog, and two cats to Beaufort last summer. She currently volunteers with the Friends of the Beaufort County Library and with Born To Read, a nonprofit organization that delivers reading materials and information to new mothers in local hospitals. She travels several times a year to visit with family and friends in Connecticut and California. Her interests include yoga, walking, and reading.

Peggy Cass was born and raised in Bronx, NY. She graduated from Hunter College with a B.A. in English and a minor in Elementary Education. After teaching for six months in NYC public schools in the South Bronx, she moved to Springfield, Massachusetts where she spent 19 years raising her family. In Springfield Peggy resumed her teaching career, but added a school librarian certification from Westfield State College to her teaching license. She veered off course (slightly) and worked as the Head of the Children’s Department for the East Longmeadow Public Library for 12 years while attending classes in Library Science at UMass. She also taught a children’s literature course at Springfield Technical Community College. After relocating to Omaha, Nebraska, Peggy went back into education, working as a media specialist for two different school districts at the elementary, middle and high school levels. While living and working in Nebraska, Peggy earned her master’s in Educational Technology from Lesley University. After 14 years in Nebraska, the family moved back to the East Coast and settled in Windsor, Connecticut. Peggy ended her career in Connecticut in 2013 after 35 successful years. Peggy is now enjoying a much slower pace of life. She indulges in weekly golf games, yoga, walking, and lots of reading. She has traveled to Ireland, England, Scotland, Greece, Italy, and Norway. These days most of her travelling consists of visits to her daughter in Chicago and her son and grandchildren in Massachusetts.

Cora Newcomb grew up in Beautiful Beaufort by the Bay. She received a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of South Carolina in 1970, an M.S. in Education from Temple University in 1980, and completed doctoral coursework in Education/Psychology. In 2004 she received a Graduate Certification in Educational Leadership from The University of South Carolina. After graduating from USC, Cora lived and worked in many places: Miami, Florida; Santa Barbara, California; Portsmouth, Oregon; Seattle, Washington; Old Town, Idaho; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Hampton, Connecticut. She has been employed in several diverse areas: Division Manager at Sears and Roebuck, High School Instructor, Adult Education Division Chair at Great Bay Training Center, Graduate Assistant at Temple University, Management and Supervisory Trainer/Organizational Development Specialist at Data General Corporation, and lastly, Program Department Head/Faculty at the Technical College of the Lowcountry. Cora retired from the college in May of 2015 after 25 years of service. While living outside Seattle, Cora had some unusual experiences. She participated in the Bicentennial Wagon Train, lived and worked on a horse ranch, and lived and worked on a Tall–Masted Ship in the Puget Sound. In Old Town, Idaho, she lived in a log cabin without electricity or running water for nine months — just for fun.

Since 1994 Cora has participated in an interesting new hobby — telling stories. Recently, she has been actively building a storytelling business. Cora has one daughter, Katharine Cora (KC), who graduated this May from the Savannah College of Art and Design with honors.

Cathryn Sebor received a B.A. from Queens College in NYC. She also obtained a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education from St. John’s University in New York. She taught kindergarten through second grade for over 20 years in Eastchester, New York. She was recognized by that school district as their Teacher of the Year and was a finalist for New York State Teacher of the Year. Cathy served as an adjunct professor for Post University through NYSUT and taught courses on critical thinking skills to fellow teachers. Cathy and her husband, Andrew, live in Westport, Connecticut. They have an adult son, Edward, who lives in New York City. As a young mother Cathy served as president of the Parents Association and held other positions, which included fund-raisers for the school. After she retired from teaching, Cathy organized and taught in the Sunday school program at her church in Westport, Connecticut. Cathy and Andrew live on Dataw Island for the month of November and January through April.

Dateline Beaufort October 2015

AAUW Needs You!Beaufort Branch membership dues continue the same as last year. Renewals in the total amount of $76 (includes $49 for the national AAUW association dues, $10 for AAUW SC dues, and $17 for Branch dues) were due by July 1. If you have not sent in your dues for this year, please rejoin and encourage other women to become members. We wish to continue to support women in our area and to do so we need your help. Use the membership application form on the right or contact Membership VP Diane Goodrich for a membership form. Questions? Contact Diane or any of the people listed on the Board of Directors article above. Please visit our new website at http://aauw-sc.aauw.net/branches/beaufort/ and like our Facebook page at https: //www.facebook.com/pages/AAUW-Beaufort-SC-Branch/729257513813995.

Board of Directors for 2015–2016ExECUTivE COMMiTTEE

President: Rebecca R. Cooper, Ed.D.Immediate Past President: Diana F. Steele, Ph.D.Program VP: Celeste Nalwasky, Ph.D. Membership VP: Diane Goodrich, B.S.Recording Secretary: Debra Ahlers, M.S. Treasurer: Barbara Mattingly, B.S.

APPOiNTED BOArD MEMBErSPublic Policy: Diana F. Steele, Ph.D.Educational Foundation: Laura Burcin, M.S., M.B.A.Legal Advocacy Fund: Etta Mann, M.A.Scholarship Award: Peggy Hubright, M.A.Bylaws: Diana F. Steele, Ph.D.Publicity: Veronica Miller, B.A.Website; Facebook: Diana F. Steele, Ph.D.Directory: Roberta Gunderson, M.Ed.Historian: Peggy Cass, M.Ed.Phone and Email Messenger: Lynn Lantz, M.Ed.Inspirational Leader: Peggy Fryer, M.A.T.Newsletter Editor: Cynthia Schafer.

AMERICAN ASSoCIATIoN oF uNIVERSITY WoMENBEAUFOrT BrANCH

MEMBErSHiP APPLiCATiON FOrM

PLEASE PriNT:

NAME_________________________________________________ SPOUSE__________________________

ADDRESS_________________________________________________________________________________

CITY__________________________________ STATE________________________ ZIP_______________

PHONE (H)_________________________ (W)________________________ (C_______________________ E–MAIL________________________________________ PREVIOUS BRANCH_______________________

COLLEGE _________________________________ STATE__________ DEGREE____________________

Please enclose check for annual dues ($76) payable to: Beaufort Branch AAUW(Dues amount includes: National $49, State $10, Branch $17)

Mail to: Barbara Mattingly, Finance Officer, 923 Lafayette Street, Beaufort, SC 29902

4

CONTACT iNFOrMATiON OF ExECUTivE COMMiTTEE:President: Rebecca R. Cooper; 843-368-6720; rrcooper@centurylink.netPast President: Diana F. Steele; 843-522-2796; steele.diana@comcast.netProgram VP: Celeste Nalwasky; 843-838-4569; celestenalwasky@gmail.comMembership VP: Diane Goodrich, 843-838-5370; gmgoodrich71@gmail.comRecording Secretary: Debra Ahlers; 608-692-7280; debbie.ahlers@gmail.comTreasurer: Barbara Mattingly; 843-522-8203; bmattin6@naz.edu

The Executive Committee poses with members at the Fall Kick–Off Board Meeting(Bottom row, left to right) Diana Steele, immediate Past President; Celeste Nalwasky, Program vP;Lynn Lantz; Diane Goodrich, Membership vP(Top row, left to right) Peggy Fryer; Laura Burcin, Educational Foundation; rebecca Cooper, President; Barbara Mattingly, Treasurer; veronica Miller, PublicityNot pictured: Debra Ahlers, Secretary